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EntityQ1356920· pop 12· linked from 138 articles

Also known as Ewart Beckford

Ewart Beckford OD (21 September 1942 – 17 February 2021), known by the stage name U-Roy, was a Jamaican vocalist and pioneer of toasting. U-Roy was known for a melodic style of toasting applied with a highly developed sense of timing.

Person · Open Library

Works
1

Top works

  • The Originator

via Open Library + Wikidata

Music · MusicBrainz

Type
Person
Country
US
Active from
1936-04-23
Active to
1988-12-06

via MusicBrainz · CC0

Listeners · Last.fm

Listeners
161,761
Total plays
1,053,151

Tags

reggaedubroots reggaejamaicadancehall

U-Roy (born Ewart Beckford September 21, 1942 - died February 17, 2021) was a Jamaican musician also known as The Originator and Hugh Roy. He was born in Jones Town, Jamaica. U-Roy's musical career began in 1961 when he began DJing at various sound systems, eventually working with King Tubby. Tubby was then experimenting with his equipment, in the process of inventing dub music. With U-Roy as his most prominent DJ, King Tubby's new sound became extraordinarily popular and U-Roy became a Jamaica

via Last.fm · U-Roy

Key facts

Musical artist.name
U-Roy
Musical artist.image
U-Roy.jpeg
Musical artist.landscape
yes
Musical artist.birth_name
Ewart Beckford
Musical artist.alias
The OriginatorHugh RoyThe Teacher
Musical artist.birth_place
Jones Town, Jamaica
Musical artist.death_place
Kingston, Jamaica
Musical artist.occupation
Singer, songwriter
Musical artist.years_active
1961–2021
Musical artist.label
Treasure Isle, Duke Reid, Virgin

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Show 7 more facts
date of birth
1942-09-21
start of work period
1961-00-00
date of death
2021-02-17
end of work period
2018-00-00
birth name
Ewart Beckford
pseudonym
U-Roy
social media followers
27100
Sources (5)

via Wikidata · CC0

~9 min read

Article

8 sections
Contents
  • Early life
  • Career
  • U-Roy's music and Rastafari
  • Death
  • Legacy
  • Album discography
  • References
  • External links

Ewart Beckford OD (21 September 1942 – 17 February 2021), known by the stage name U-Roy, was a Jamaican vocalist and pioneer of toasting. U-Roy was known for a melodic style of toasting applied with a highly developed sense of timing.

==Early life== Ewart Beckford was born in Jones Town, Saint Andrew Parish, Kingston, Jamaica, on 21 September 1942. He was raised within a religious and musical family; his mother was an organist for the choir at a local Seventh-day Adventist church. The sobriquet U-Roy originated from a younger member of his family who found it difficult to pronounce his first name. Beckford attended Denham Town High School in Kingston. As a young man Beckford listened to the music of Louis Prima, James Brown, Ruth Brown, Fats Domino, Rufus Thomas, Smiley Lewis and was especially influenced by the vocal phrasing of Louis Jordan.

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